These days there are many foreigners traveling, working or studying in China.

Below are the most common types of visa available:

L-Visa : This is a tourist visa for sightseeing and visiting purposes. If you are a tourist, this will be the most relevant visa.

X-Visa : This is a study visa for foreign students undertaking an approved course for a period of more than 6 months.

Z-Visa : This is an employment visa for people who are coming to China to work.

F-Visa : This is a short term invitation visa for foreigners who are invited to China for business visit and study for a period of no more than 6 months.

Other less common visas include:

C-Visa : For transport crew members of airliners, trains and shipping vessels.

G-Visa : For foreigners transiting through China.

J-Visa : For foreign journalists.

Visa-Free Entry : Ordinary passport holders from Japan, Singapore and Brunei visiting China for sightseeing for no more than 15 days are exempted from a visa.

Visa-Free Transit : Foreigners with valid air tickets transiting through China for less than 24 hours without leaving the airport do not need a transit visa. Foreigners from the following countries with valid air tickets and transiting through Shanghai for less than 48 hours also do not need a transit visa : Republic of Korea, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland.

As regulations change all the time, it is most appropriate that you check with the Chinese Embassy or tour agencies in your home country before you embark on your trip.